Call

/kɔːl/

Meaning & Definition

noun
a request for someone to come or to meet.
The call for volunteers was announced at the meeting.
a communication made by telephone.
I received a call from my friend while I was at work.
a summons or invitation to a specific event.
She received a call to join the prestigious committee.
verb
to speak to someone by name, or to communicate with someone by telephone.
I will call you tomorrow to discuss the project.
to demand or request something.
The teacher called the students to come to the front of the class.
to make a judgment or decision about something.
I call that a bad idea based on the evidence presented.

Etymology

Middle English: from Old Norse kalla, of Germanic origin.

Common Phrases and Expressions

call it a day
to stop working for the day.
call on someone
to visit someone.
call the shots
to be in control or to make decisions.

Related Words

caller
a person who makes a phone call.
calling
a strong urge to pursue a particular way of life or career.

Slang Meanings

to ask someone for a favor.
I had to call in a favor to get the tickets.
to declare something, often used in a sports context.
The referee made a bad call on that play.